Gothamist: Who Killed Obama? T-Shirt Designer Just Misunderstood

jakilevy

Fri, 16 May 2008 12:28:31 -0500

there's another line of clothing out now - it's anti-anti-Obama: https://www.cafepress.com/oybama

altrent

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 23:28:06 -0500

iralarry: I think I understood what you meant, especially after your elaboration, and I certainly agree with your paragraphs #2 and 3. What I didn't get about your first post was why anyone was necessarily a hypocrite for thinking this guy was a jerk, even if they DID fear (or at least recognize the threat of) the possibility of such an attempt. Thinking about it, as you make the point with the "Abortion" T-shirt, doesn't mean it's "right" to say, suggest, or certainly to make money off of. PBRK: "pointless at best, wishful thinking at worst", and just plain old stupid and rude and a good example of what's wrong with too many people today. I mean, I'm not going to start crying about it, but here's another example of something that struck me as simply asinine: saw some jackass with a bumper sticker on his pickup truck -- I want to say "naturally", but that'll probably get some people up in arms -- which read, "MY ATTITUDE = YOUR PROBLEM". OK, so I'm thinking, does that mean that the guy's telling me that's his way of dealing with everybody, all the time? Including me, though we've never met? This skinny little chump? OK. So if we get to the next light, and he rolls down the window and says, "Hey, buddy, you got the time?", can I legitimately say, "Go f*ck yourself?" I mean, the guy was literally advertising that he's a dick to everyone, saving me from having to find out for myself, so why not? So, sure, rant mode ON, but what part of human interaction is made better by choosing to be rude? What part of human interaction is made better by choosing to be nasty, or unfeeling, or insensitive? Just stay in the vortex and send more e-mails, or text messages, and in doing so enable an environment in which the concept is somehow lost that it may not be kewl to attempt to profit off of the "irony" of what would be a very ugly act, the (tragically misguided) intentional death of another human. I know this'll sound cliched, but jeez, remember hearing accounts of what people said the country felt like when JFK was assassinated? Meanwhile, did this guy stop to consider, even ONCE, that maybe it wouldn't be all that cool to put this on a shirt? THAT'S what pisses me off about this stupid, classless, tasteless schist.

PBRK

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:01:09 -0500

To clear some things up: Obama is not dead, therefore the slogan is pointless at best and wishful thinking at worst. It does not point to a deeper meaning about the frailty of black people or similar nonsense. Anyone who is fearful of Obama's safety because he is black is a racist- they are not seeing "the reality" of a situation or being pragmatic.

iralarry

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 23:17:11 -0500

Altrent: Thank you for your thoughts on recent posts and your open-mindedness re this one. Certainly I would never expect you to thank this typical merchant minded individual for attempting to cash in on exploitive attention-seeking behavior via controversial statements on a cheap hoodie. He is not raising awareness if vast numbers of people already think this and he is just stating what we all maybe thinking without saying. For him it is about commerce. For us whom would never consider purchasing this ridiculously over-priced nonsense, it is about offending sensibilities. I once heard someone say in a song, "If you want the obvious, you get the obvious." I also posted a comment on my unread blog about a woman who proudly created and then worn on her person for all to see a Tee that reads, "I had an abortion." Nothing makes me sicker than people who profess their pride in that which most people abhor. I don't know, sometimes I get carried away and angry at the level of stupidity and acclaim people profess for themselves. Perhaps this fool should wear a hoodie that reads, "I think I am brilliant." People just love to seek attention for themselves.

altrent

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 21:50:39 -0500

iralarry: you've raised some very good points in other recent threads, but I'm not sure about your effort here. To wit, am I to thank this dipshit for having taken it a step higher by raising our awareness of the possibility of the future assassination of one possible future President -- all by selling a crassly thoughtless (not to mention cheap-ass) hoodie for $250? I pray that I'll derive my concern for the republic elsewhere, and/or that you'll explain how I misunderstood your post, which I'll be the first to admit may have occured.

Lisa Williamson

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:38:31 -0500

iralarry: Well-said. I just don't think that putting the message out there is a very responsible thing to do given how many lunatics may already be thinking about it.

iralarry

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:31:13 -0500

My goodness, how is it that you people do not see the point here? All this knee-jerk reactionary crap. Holy shit. I have spoken to dozens of people who fear Obama will be assassinated if he is elected. I imagine quite a few people have thought this. You are all pulling another Geraldine Ferraro. If one is stupid enough to purchase this and where it in public, fine. But it speaks to a truth many of us have had the fortitude to admit to, we worry for this man should he gain the presidency. Hypocrites, most of you. Shame. It just proves that lusting after your neighbors wife is equal to admitting it in public if reactions here have anything to say about it.

pissyrabbit

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:10:04 -0500

"I'm very punk rock"= I'm a douchebag who maybe knew some punk rockers who kicked my ass in high school

Lisa Williamson

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 15:33:33 -0500

Can Obama supporters show up at his store, located at 193 Orchard Street (Corner of Houston),(open 7 days, 12 noon- 10pm) to show this waste of oxygen how despicably irresponsible his message truly is? Yes we can.

matty

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:44:07 -0500

i want a shrit that says LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! By giving this dipshit a story on gothamist you actually are promoting it.

kekule

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:22:01 -0500

How can these guys claim to be so original and unique when they all look the same? Greasy long hair, skin tight black jeans, some dumb t-shirt/hoodie. I wouldn't care so much if I didn't have to see them all the time and I didn't have to pay for their welfare/disability checks in the future and listen to them bitch about how the system is trying to bring them down by raising their rents above $150 a month.

kekule

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:13:37 -0500

What a schmuck.

SP

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:10:09 -0500

This guy is 100% douche bag. Very punk rock indeed.

MJG

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 12:50:02 -0500

Is this guy related to Rev. Wright?

redhookreject

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 12:20:42 -0500

whatever... hot mess tranie fierce hot mess tranie vayy kayyy

Goomba

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 11:11:48 -0500

This gavone looks like a terrorist why don't they haul him down to Gitmo?

Damien Walder

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 10:54:17 -0500

And by "..very punk rock" he of course means skeezy-looking wanker. How about "Kevorkian won't return my calls, please help"?

MFer

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 10:47:23 -0500

It's not ironic because he is just playing off the title "Who Killed Bambi?" Weak.

buzz buzzard

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 10:07:53 -0500

Thing is, it doesn't really matter if he's being sarcastic when he says it or if he really is "very punk rock." Even if viewed through the lens of irony, "Who killed Obama?" isn't all that funny. And I say this not because I'm pissed off about it, I just don't think it's a good joke. On the "this guy is an asshole" front though, the argument is provided with plenty of ammunition by the fact that it's only really irony for anyone who can afford a $129-$250 hoodie.

kearnj

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 10:02:41 -0500

At least they're on sale.

Nick S

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 09:43:35 -0500

here's his music page! http://www.myspace.com/number1iniran something tells me this dude didn't get a ton of hugs as a kid.

Bickle

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 07:35:21 -0500

Holy shit. Pressed the POST button too fast. That is him in the picture. Wow. With the hoodie he looks like an average joe, but when I saw him with without the hoodie he looked very similarto this guy: http://youtube.com/watch?v=CMwdAc1Dzfg

Bickle

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 07:28:35 -0500

The guy wearing the hoodie in that pic is someone else. That guy is not Apollo Braun. This is what Apollo Braun looks like: http://myspace.com/apollobraun I've been to the shop and have met the guy, and when he says "I'm very punk rock" he says it very sarcastically; it's definitely a joke. Anyone who actually thinks he's being serious is an idiot. If he were actually punk rock, he'd be in the suburbs with his soccermom wife and three daughters in pink Ramones shirts, reminiscing about his failed band from the '70s.

broadwayblue29

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:43:44 -0500

my dad used to wear that sweatshirt, he had a job and a mortgage.

TimSPC

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:39:30 -0500

Was this from The Onion? That was satire, right?

matukonyc

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:36:31 -0500

In the words of Woody Allen, "What an asshole."

fakenewyorker

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:21:36 -0500

and that sweatshirt is awful as well.

fakenewyorker

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:17:29 -0500

It's hard to believe thought, money, and material went into that dreck.

Rocknrope

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 23:57:13 -0500

Something tells me that Doron would weep like a sissy if a traffic cop got in his face, much less a secret service agent.

skowen

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 23:25:51 -0500

Something tells me this guy is about as 'punk rock' as avril.

Bluealways

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:53:28 -0500

Irony is so 2006.

tnturner

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:47:29 -0500

Ha. I met this dude a few years back when I worked for Vice. He's pretty out there. I like the shirts tho. Even as an Obama supporter.

JacqueMehoff

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:05:47 -0500

is this the guy who has a voice like Bowzer from sha na na and had a public access show?

Bubba

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:04:13 -0500

Moron Braunshtein is a more apt moniker for this attention seeking dimwit. I wonder how "punk rock" he'll feel after a visit from the Secret Service.

jaja007

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:25:56 -0500

"The Holocaust was a lie" would be even more punk rock, try that one next..

Ethan

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:24:36 -0500

Who's Obama?

west side Michael

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:18:11 -0500

Young and stupid, have another reefer Guy. Let's see I love NAZI'S could be next for $225.00

Gothamist_Cynic

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:31:52 -0500

what a tool.

jaycjay

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:26:45 -0500

"Braun feels it is a form of performance art." "I’m very punk rock." This makes me reminisce about the old days, when anyone who was "very punk rock" would want nothing to do with "performance art."

bklynd

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:21:27 -0500

Or maybe he was farting, I'm not sure.

bklynd

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:20:36 -0500

Well, from his expression in that photo, he seems like a cool enough guy. Like, I can see the probity there.

babyhitler

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:14:51 -0500

this guy is very original. Like if a celebrity goes to jail he'd probably be the 13343th guy to make a "Free XYZ!" Shirt. Him and busted tees ( the ugliest, cheapest shirts in the world!) should get together.

chris

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:05:16 -0500

I'll make you the same hoodie for 50 bucks! I suppose you have to pay rent on such a primo space.